Family and friends of three drowning victims react as the body of Devin Lycklama is pulled from the water Monday Feb. 27, 2012, two miles north of Idabel Okla. Authorities say a man has drowned in the Little River south of Idabel and two others are missing. (ASSOCIATED PRESS / Texarkana Gazette, Evan Lewis)

A Valliant Okla., man and his son, 8, drowned Sunday in the Little River, as the man tried to rescue the boy and his 4-year-old brother.

The younger boy was still missing and presumed drowned late Monday.

The drownings occurred in Little River about two miles north of Idabel, Okla., and near the Idabel wastewater treatment plant, said Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy Randolph.

The body of Steven Lycklama, 32, of Valliant was found about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, said Randolph.

State police were notified of a possible drowning at 2:29 p.m. Sunday.

A boater spotted a capsized boat and towed it to the boat ramp south of the river falls on the south side of the Little River.

When the boat was flipped over, the man's body was found tangled in rope and a chain.

When the body was discovered, there was no identification available. Troopers were also unaware of two missing children.

About 7:30 p.m. Sunday the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was notified about a family member calling to report two missing children. The family member was at the boat ramp where the father had been found inside the boat.

The family member was able to identify the man and said the missing children were Devin Lycklama, 8, and Dalton Lycklama, 4, both of Valliant.

A search was started down river, but neither child was found.

About 12:18 p.m. Monday, Devin was found in the Little River near the boat ramp and near where the boat was found.

Family and friends, standing in the woods near the river bank, started crying and wailing as they realized rescue teams were recovering the child's body.

Rescue teams were still searching for Dalton, 4, late Monday afternoon in the Little River using a cadaver dog trained by Vynn Stuart of Ashdown.

An uncle to the children, Damon Cantrell, and a longtime friend of the family, Everette Chad Hurley, both of Valliant, said the father had put the boat's engine in reverse as the boat approached the falls in the river.

Both men complained about the lack of warning signs for boaters or people floating down the river about the pending falls and drop in the river.

"With his boat motor in reverse, he was trying to get away from the fall. If he had any warning, he could have gotten away from the fall," said Hurley.

"He (Steven) was trying to rescue his boys and got tangled in the rope. The rope was attached to the boat, and he was holding a chain trying use it to catch his boys," said Hurley.

No information was available from the highway patrol about the size of the boat and motor.

The man's wife, Melissa, was supposed to meet the family at another boat ramp up river, but the father and his two sons never made it.

Devin's body was placed in a body bag and protected by Hurley until the Brumley Funeral Home minivan arrived to take the child to the funeral home in Idabel.

"I unzipped the bag and held his hands. He didn't know anybody there, and I wanted to let him know I was there for him and held his hands," said Hurley.

He also carried the boy's body up the boat ramp to the minivan. While Hurley was walking up the ramp, he touched his forehead to the body bag twice before he reached the minivan.

"This was a terrible day for us, but it was a good day for God. He got three new angels," said Hurley.

The information regarding the family identification and the times of the incidences were confirmed by the uncle, Hurley and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

"This is heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers go to the family. We need to continue to preach the message of how important and crucial to wear lifejackets," said Randolph.

"It's crucial for children to be properly secured in boats with lifejackets. We're sensitive to the family, and it's a horrible tragedy, but we want to stress how crucial and important for children age 12 and younger to wear life preservers," said Randolph.